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Centennial hands Panthers first home loss
Marvin Olberding
The Woodland Park Panther football team had built a 3-0 home record by being opportunistic in close games. Whether it was making a big play, forcing a key turnover defensively, or executing on a critical drive offensively, the Panthers had gotten it done.
In the final two minutes of their game Oct. 31 at home against Centennial, the Panthers had a chance to do each of those things. This time, however, it wasn’t in the cards.
With the score knotted at 14-14 in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs took over at their own 4-yard-line after being buried by a perfectly-executed 43-yard-punt by Louie Neil. Over the next six minutes, Centennial drove 90 yards in 11 plays, setting up a first-and-goal at the Panthers’ six.
A first-down run netted just one yard. Second down produced the same result. Third down was a two-yard gain that was met with a big hit at the 2-yard-line. Suddenly, it was fourth-and-goal. The Panther defense, growing in confidence, was in position to make another big play.
After a timeout, the Bulldogs put the ball directly in the hands of their star junior tailback, John Vela. Vela took a direct snap, headed right and just got over the goal line, giving the Bulldogs their first lead of the game, 21-14, with 1:30 remaining.
With all three timeouts at their disposal, the Panthers were not panicking, and they quickly began to march toward a tying score. After starting at their 20, Woodland Park got 15 quick yards on a Bulldog penalty, then 13 more on a pass from Lee Stunkard to Jordan Buss, putting the Panthers near midfield while only taking 12 seconds off the clock.
After an incompletion, Stunkard connected with junior Alex Fenlon for 15 yards and then found Buss again for 21 more to put the ball at the Bulldog 18-yard-line with 53 seconds to go, forcing Centennial to call another time-out to regroup.
On the ensuing third down, still at the 18, Stunkard tried a pass down the middle of the field, but his receiver was tripped up and fell, drawing a penalty flag. After the officials discussed the play, they picked up the flag, saying the contact was incidental, making it fourth down— much to the dismay of the Panther sideline.
The Panthers went for it all, throwing for the end zone on the next play, but Stunkard and Buss were unable to connect for a third time on the drive, and the ball fell incomplete, sparking celebration on the Bulldog sideline. Three kneel-downs later, the game was over.
After the game, the explanation for the loss from Panther coach Brent Cottrell was simple and straight-forward.
“We didn’t make the plays we had to make,” Cottrell said. “We didn’t take advantage of the opportunities given to us.”
In the end, the difference-maker for the Bulldogs was Vela, who scored all three Centennial touchdowns. And unlike his third score, his first two were big plays; a 74-yarder on their second offensive play and an 80-yarder on the second play of the second half.
“No. 22 is a heck of a back,” Cottrell said. “We couldn’t handle his speed. You can’t simulate that kind of speed in practice. He just beat our pursuit angles.”
The Panthers scored on the opening drive of the game, marching 80 yards and finishing it off on a one-yard touchdown run by Stunkard. Stunkard then connected with Buss for a 37-yard catch-and-run with 3:28 remaining in the first half to put the Panthers in front going into halftime.
Woodland Park, now 3-6 on the season and 2-5 in the 3A Southern, will play its season finale at 7 p.m. on Nov. 6 at home against Pueblo East (4-5, 3-4).
The Woodland Park Panther football team had built a 3-0 home record by being opportunistic in close games. Whether it was making a big play, forcing a key turnover defensively, or executing on a critical drive offensively, the Panthers had gotten it done.
In the final two minutes of their game Oct. 31 at home against Centennial, the Panthers had a chance to do each of those things. This time, however, it wasn’t in the cards.
With the score knotted at 14-14 in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs took over at their own 4-yard-line after being buried by a perfectly-executed 43-yard-punt by Louie Neil. Over the next six minutes, Centennial drove 90 yards in 11 plays, setting up a first-and-goal at the Panthers’ six.
A first-down run netted just one yard. Second down produced the same result. Third down was a two-yard gain that was met with a big hit at the 2-yard-line. Suddenly, it was fourth-and-goal. The Panther defense, growing in confidence, was in position to make another big play.
After a timeout, the Bulldogs put the ball directly in the hands of their star junior tailback, John Vela. Vela took a direct snap, headed right and just got over the goal line, giving the Bulldogs their first lead of the game, 21-14, with 1:30 remaining.
With all three timeouts at their disposal, the Panthers were not panicking, and they quickly began to march toward a tying score. After starting at their 20, Woodland Park got 15 quick yards on a Bulldog penalty, then 13 more on a pass from Lee Stunkard to Jordan Buss, putting the Panthers near midfield while only taking 12 seconds off the clock.
After an incompletion, Stunkard connected with junior Alex Fenlon for 15 yards and then found Buss again for 21 more to put the ball at the Bulldog 18-yard-line with 53 seconds to go, forcing Centennial to call another time-out to regroup.
On the ensuing third down, still at the 18, Stunkard tried a pass down the middle of the field, but his receiver was tripped up and fell, drawing a penalty flag. After the officials discussed the play, they picked up the flag, saying the contact was incidental, making it fourth down— much to the dismay of the Panther sideline.
The Panthers went for it all, throwing for the end zone on the next play, but Stunkard and Buss were unable to connect for a third time on the drive, and the ball fell incomplete, sparking celebration on the Bulldog sideline. Three kneel-downs later, the game was over.
After the game, the explanation for the loss from Panther coach Brent Cottrell was simple and straight-forward.
“We didn’t make the plays we had to make,” Cottrell said. “We didn’t take advantage of the opportunities given to us.”
In the end, the difference-maker for the Bulldogs was Vela, who scored all three Centennial touchdowns. And unlike his third score, his first two were big plays; a 74-yarder on their second offensive play and an 80-yarder on the second play of the second half.
“No. 22 is a heck of a back,” Cottrell said. “We couldn’t handle his speed. You can’t simulate that kind of speed in practice. He just beat our pursuit angles.”
The Panthers scored on the opening drive of the game, marching 80 yards and finishing it off on a one-yard touchdown run by Stunkard. Stunkard then connected with Buss for a 37-yard catch-and-run with 3:28 remaining in the first half to put the Panthers in front going into halftime.
Woodland Park, now 3-6 on the season and 2-5 in the 3A Southern, will play its season finale at 7 p.m. on Nov. 6 at home against Pueblo East (4-5, 3-4).
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